Foolish Bravery
by KatLeePT
Summary: The Little Mermaid meets a shark.


"Ariel, don't - !" Flounder pleaded, but it was too late. His eyes shot wide and round as his best friend swam straight into the monster's mouth. It closed its mouth, and he turned away, both horrified and heartsick.

Sebastian screamed, but at just that time the thundering voice of the King of the Sea boomed. "RELEASE MY DAUGHTER, BEAST!"

"Oh, thank goodness you arrived, Your Majesty, and just in time, too! I tried, Your Majesty! Oh, how I tried to talk your daughter out of going into that thing's mouth, but she wouldn't listen! She's a stubborn one, that girl, takes after her mother - "

"Sebastian, be quiet!" Triton commanded as the glow of his trident reached its highest beam. Just before he was going to release his power, the shark opened his mouth, and Ariel swam out.

"It's okay, Dad! It's okay!"

"Ariel?" Flounder asked in disbelief. When he looked up and saw her, he screamed her name and swam so fast he bumped into her before he could stop.

"It's okay, Flounder! It's okay!" Ariel laughed as she hugged the little fish, but then she noticed that her father was still holding his trident pointed directly at the shark, who was now almost whimpering, his fins shaking as he backed up. "Dad, it's okay!"

"It is _not_ okay, Ariel! That monster could have eaten you!"

"He's not a monster, Daddy, and he only had a toothache!" Ariel held up an enormous tooth. "That's why I had to swim into his mouth: so I could reach the tooth."

Sebastian, Flounder, and even King Triton stared at the brave, little mermaid in shock. Sebastian's mouth dropped open; then, he covered his eyes with his claws. "Ariel," Flounder started to try to reason with his friend, "I don't think your father's going to think that was a - "

"That was a completely unnecessary and foolish risk to take!"

Ariel sashayed a little, her hands tucking behind her tail. She gave him the expression that had won him over to her side ever since she'd been a baby, just learning how to swim. "I'm sorry, Daddy, but he was in such pain and no one would listen!"

King Triton sighed and rubbed his temples.

"And you never said I couldn't help - "

"Helping is one thing, Ariel. Swimming into a shark's mouth is entirely another. Make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Yes, sir."

"Both of you," the King ground out, casting a sideways glower at Sebastian.

"But, but, Your Majesty, how am I supposed to - "

"Find a way, Sebastian. If a shark eats my daughter because you failed to protect her, I'll eat you. Understand?"

Sebastian fell over backwards with a moan. He clutched a claw to his head. "The girl swims into a shark's mouth with me yelling at her not to, and of _course, I_ get the blame!"

"Daddy, Sebastian did try - "

"He didn't try hard enough."

Ariel hushed. She knew she couldn't win all the battles, and her father was determined to have some one to blame. It was better to let him blame his best friend than for him to blame her or her new friend.

The shark nudged her lower back. She turned to him and rubbed his face. "I know it hurt," she said, "and you're welcome."

"Ariel, come away from that thing!"

"He's not a thing, Daddy! He's my friend!"

"ARIEL!"

"I've gotta go," Ariel said, looking sheepish, to the shark, "but if you ever need help again, you just come find me, okay?"

"Do NOT invite that thing to Atlantica, and get here NOW!"

Ariel winced as her father roared and swiftly swam to his side, Flounder scurrying beside her. "I was only helping a friend, Daddy."

"Sharks are not our friends, Ariel. Now we're going to go home, and you're going to think about what you did."

"I helped a friend."

"You nearly lost your life!"

"He wouldn't have eaten me!"

"You don't know that!"

"I - "

"Ariel, had you ever met that particular shark before?"

"No, but I knew he wouldn't!"

King Triton sighed, shook his head, and resumed his temples from the everyday headache his daughter gave him. He loved the girl, but one day, she was going to be the death of him! The death of him, he thought, watching her swimming ahead of him and playing with Flounder in the currents, or the best, bravest, and brightest Queen Atlantica had ever seen. Only Ariel would swim into a shark's open mouth because the great beast had a toothache!

But then he thought of his daughter's fondness for the worst kind of monsters, the humans, and sighed wearily. She was going to encounter one or sooner or later. She'd swim right up to the monster just like she had to that shark. She was either going to be the most wonderful Queen Atlantica had ever had, or she was going to doom them all. He sighed, his whole countenance falling as he worried, and a new headache started. It was almost enough to make a father seek a Seer, but he'd never allow any of his family, even himself, to indulge in sorcery for that could ruin them all, too.

He felt the currents turn and heard the echo of diabolical laughter. He grabbed Sebastian, Flounder, and finally Ariel and hurried them all home, where they would be safe and sound for at least another night.

The End


End file.
